The Sculpture Center in Cleveland is not just a venue; it’s a living testament to time and transformation. This summer, the center hosts three compelling exhibits that delve into its rich history and the broader themes of place and memory. Each exhibit offers a unique perspective, inviting visitors to explore the intersection of art and history in unexpected ways.
Two of the exhibits focus explicitly on the history and significance of the building itself, while the third expands on similar themes without being tied to a specific location. Together, they create a multifaceted narrative that celebrates the potency of place and the stories embedded within it.
The Sculpture Center as a Canvas of History
The most captivating exhibits are those that center on The Sculpture Center’s own history. These shows employ innovative media and techniques to forge profound connections to the past, offering visitors a unique journey through time.
Malena Grigoli’s ‘Genesis 1:29’: A Taste of the Past
Cleveland-based sculptor Malena Grigoli brings to light a lesser-known chapter in the building’s history with her piece ‘Genesis 1:29.’ This single, unique artwork pays homage to the center’s past life as a vegetarian restaurant in the 1970s. Grigoli’s creation is a cloth mold of an old door, over which she applied a thick culture of yeast. The resulting piece resembles both the echo of a door through which countless people passed and a loaf of bread, a nod to the restaurant’s menu.
Grigoli’s work is a totem a tribute to the place and an evocation of its past. By using objects and methods steeped in both, she earns her dough, quite literally, as her artwork becomes a portal to the past, inviting visitors to step back in time and experience the building’s former identity.
Jacklyn Brickman’s ‘Arris|a vestige’: A Séance of the Senses
Originally, The Sculpture Center served as a stone-carving studio, creating headstones and monuments for the nearby Lake View Cemetery. This history inspired Jacklyn Brickman’s ‘Arris|a vestige,’ a séance-like setup that uses weeds from the area to explore themes of cultivation, preservation, and neglect. The term ‘arris’ refers to the border between two surfaces, a fitting metaphor for the exhibit’s exploration of boundaries and transitions.
Inside a small greenhouse reminiscent of the cemetery’s Wade Memorial Chapel, a vase of mugwort weed is wired to a droning sound machine. Visitors can touch the plants, altering the sound and leaving an impression on the display. Nearby, a fountain encourages guests to gather water for the vase, while mugwort plants grace the center’s front windows, as if they were rare and beautiful flowers. Brickman’s exhibit creates a supernatural aura, reminding us of the forgotten souls resting next door and offering a sensory portal to the past.
Noelle Choy’s ‘Adventurers’: A Personal Odyssey
The third exhibit, ‘Adventurers’ by Noelle Choy, is both more personal and more enigmatic. Choy uses film and a diverse array of media to present what she calls ‘biographical fiction,’ a story of a life through places and objects. The film, ‘Wonders of the World,’ is a short documentary about the artist’s Taiwanese heritage, providing a clear and comprehensible narrative.
However, the physical creations surrounding the film are more abstract. Choy’s displays feature a dizzying array of objects found or collected over the years, including papier-maché arches, matchbooks, photographs, car parts, and more. Each piece seems to hold personal significance, though the stories behind them are not readily apparent. The exhibit is like an inside joke or strain of family lore, intelligible only to a select few.
Despite its complexity, ‘Adventurers’ complements the other two exhibits, reminding us that meaning can be found everywhere—in all people, places, and things. Choy’s work adds a layer of personal narrative to the broader themes of history and place explored in the other exhibits.
An Invitation to Explore
The Sculpture Center’s current exhibits offer a unique opportunity to explore the building’s rich history and the broader themes of place and memory. From Malena Grigoli’s tribute to the center’s past as a vegetarian restaurant to Jacklyn Brickman’s sensory exploration of its origins as a stone-carving studio, each exhibit invites visitors to engage with the past in innovative ways.
Noelle Choy’s ‘Adventurers’ adds a personal touch, reminding us that our own stories are intertwined with the places we inhabit. Together, these exhibits create a multifaceted narrative that celebrates the potency of place and the stories embedded within it.
The exhibits are on view now through August 22, 2026, Wednesday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit or call 216-229-6527.
